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BUSINESS
Nov 22, 2011

High yen, EU debt crisis crimp exports

Japan's exports fell for the first time in three months, indicating that the yen's appreciation and the financial turmoil in Europe are slowing the recovery from the disasters in March.
COMMENTARY
Nov 21, 2011

As the Egyptian military takes off its mask

The killing under torture in a maximum security prison in Cairo of Essam Ali Atta Ali, a 24-year-old Egyptian, raises concern on the role of the Egyptian military in the "New Egypt." His death was likened to that of Khalid Said, who was beaten to death by the police in Alexandria last year.
Reader Mail
Nov 20, 2011

Creating domestic energy jobs

Regarding the Nov. 11 editorial "Nuclear export policy misguided": It would be interesting to get a list of countries to which Japan's nuclear know-how has been, and will be, exported. Vietnam and India are mentioned in the editorial as was Jordan before. From a European news source, I learned that Turkey...
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Nov 20, 2011

The B-class-food boom reveals true Japanese cuisine

Two weeks ago, an advisory panel to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries recommended it apply to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for recognition of Japanese cuisine as an intangible cultural asset. The panel made its suggestion after UNESCO granted...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Nov 20, 2011

Factories floundering in Thailand; textile master Junichi Arai; CM of the week: Epson

More than 400 Japanese companies have operations in Thailand, most of them manufacturers taking advantage of the country's lower wages and open trade agreement with China. However, these factories have come to a virtual standstill due to rising floodwaters.
Reader Mail
Nov 20, 2011

Local media dis Fukuoka march

In Fukuoka on Sunday, Nov. 13, at least 10,000 people assembled and marched through the city protesting against the use of nuclear power stations and alleged corruption at Kyushu Electric Power Co. The march was orderly and peaceful and included not only Japanese citizens but also local foreigners and...
Japan Times
LIFE / WEEK 3
Nov 20, 2011

Smiles return to Tohoku as the circus comes to town

At Nakamura Daiichi Elementary School in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, a theater company named La Tatan Sha recently staged a musical for the students that featured live painting.
COMMENTARY
Nov 19, 2011

Fear drives Arab League to act

For most of its 66-year history, the Arab League was a powerless organization, dominated by autocratic regimes that made sure it never criticized their lies and crimes. But suddenly, this year, it woke up and changed sides.
JAPAN
Nov 18, 2011

Officials dump sender's radioactive soil in Saitama lot

An anonymous sender earlier this month mailed a package to the Environment Ministry apparently containing dirt contaminated by radioactive fallout from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant that was later dumped in an empty lot near a ministry official's home in Saitama Prefecture, Environment Minister Goshi...
JAPAN
Nov 17, 2011

No need for U.S. to correct TPP comments, Noda says

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Wednesday he will not ask Washington again to revise a statement that he claimed misquoted his comments about Japan's stance on free-trade talks.
BUSINESS
Nov 15, 2011

Olympus hid balance sheet hole with sale of growing unit

Olympus Corp.'s 2009 sale of a profitable diagnostics unit it spent four decades building up for what appeared to be a bargain price is beginning to make sense as the company admits covering up decades of losses.
Reader Mail
Nov 13, 2011

Occupy Tokyo a welcome sight

Regarding Michael Hoffman's Nov. 7 Bilingual page article, "Occupy Tokyo lacks focus but still demands change": I am a 21-year-old African American who has watched and participated in the Occupy Wall Street movement of Oakland, California. I am happy to hear that the movement supporting the future of...
JAPAN / Science & Health / NATURAL SELECTIONS
Nov 13, 2011

'Calamity' awaits those unready for climate-change refugees

There is a wonderful expression in Japanese: Fūdo ni nareru, which means something like "to become acclimatized to natural conditions."
EDITORIALS
Nov 13, 2011

Embarking on difficult talks

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Friday announced that Japan will take part in talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, a multilateral scheme for abolishing tariffs in principle and for liberalizing a wide range of economic activities, including investment and services. He will convey his decision...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Nov 13, 2011

Will trickle-down class discrimination rob Britain of what's so great?

Britain may be broken, but London is hot. A recent trip to the city exhilarated me.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Nov 13, 2011

Taking it easy on Tokashiki

In the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom, from the 14th to 19th centuries, Chinese envoys would come to Shuri Castle on the island of Okinawa to officiate at the coronation of the Ryukyu kings. When their ships were spotted from the 227-meter peak of Mount Akama on the northeast coast of outlying Tokashiki...
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Nov 12, 2011

Dissent within DPJ ranks looks set to fester

Delaying the decision to take part in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations by a day may have bought a little time, but experts said Friday there is no going back for Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda now that he has announced Japan will participate in the free-trade talks.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 12, 2011

Meanwhile, on the island where they say hello . . .

"This year we have a class where we introduce the children to their neighbors on the island," said the principal of the Shiraishi Elementary School. "So we'd like you to come and talk to the children and tell them why you like living on the island."
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 11, 2011

A taste of home: Life after National Azabu

Ask local expats what they miss most from their homelands, and they might tell you about Fig Newton cookies (Americans), Shreddies breakfast cereal (Brits), fresh coriander (Thais) or morning congee (Chinese). In other words, an authentic taste of home.
SUMO / SUMO SCRIBBLINGS
Nov 10, 2011

The next big thing, and one that never quite made it

Leading up to the 2011 Kyushu tourney down in Fukuoka, the world of sumo is looking to round off another annus horribilis.
JAPAN
Nov 9, 2011

Meeting with Dalai Lama cools warming ties with China

A recent meeting between the Dalai Lama and Japanese lawmakers — including senior government officials — threatened Tuesday to stymie improving relations with China.

Longform

Members of the nonprofit group Japan Youth Memorial Association search for the remains of dead soldiers in a cave in Okinawa Prefecture in February.
The long search for Japan’s lost soldiers